Labornet Japan is a network of citizens, unionists, activists, scholars and others from all walks of life to share information especially about rights and struggles in and outside of Japan. Established in 2001, the group now has more than 500 members, and the membership is growing. The English site introduces some reports shared on Labornet Japan website and other sources outside of Japan.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Women vendors on casual contract go on strike

The workers on casual contract must
retire at 65 --- Workers on lifetime employment can receive severance but those
on casual contract don’t even have that or
the pension. Why do we need to have a retirement age for limited-term contract
workers to begin with? Six women 60 years old and up went on strike on March 18
in demand for abolishing the retirement age system for workers on limited-term
contract, or otherwise for payment of severance or a bonus for special service.
The women who formed a union four years ago as a local of National Union of General Workers Tokyo Tobu have worked at Tokyo subway vendors
on a year contract for Metro Commerce Co., which is a subsidiary of Tokyo
Metro. The union has held more than 30 collective bargaining sessions and won
10 Yen raise every year as well as paid leave for the deaths of their families. When the
union with elderly members demanded that the company abolish the retirement
age, the negotiation stalled. The members decided to take advantage of the
right to collectiveaction and went on
strike. （Chie Matsumoto）

Photo=Metro Commerce Union members vow to win this
struggle in solidarity.